Winter SkillDriving

Sure you have to go to work. Sure the conditions are bad. But you are equal to the task.

Starting off

It can be an adventure some just to get the car started. So, plug it in if you can because it will help your car warm-up faster and treat the engine a lot better. Most engine wear occurs o­n initial start-up. Then its always a good idea as you drive off down the driveway to check the brakes that they stop the car before the end of your driveway.

Look left and right.

In this picture you can see visibility is not brilliant! Sometimes, it helps to wind the window down and listen for vehicles if you cant see much. If you cant see anything lets forget it for now until you can....

Look left and right of course, and don't cut the corner too sharply as you leave your driveway the ditch is closer than you think....and the neighborhood kids will find it hysterically funny that you got stuck in your own ditch.

Winter Whiteouts...

Whiteouts are a problem, and sometimes they are snowplows. In this case, remember the blue light that you associate with a snowplow, well in this picture it is not as visible as the two flashing red lights.

Whatever you do, remember that passing a snow plow is always a risk, even if visibility is good. That's because the plow will often times swing out from the road side, either deliberately to avoid taking out the local residents mailbox and sometimes inadvertently when the side blade catches a ditch and swings the truck back out.

Snow plows are your best friend in winter and following them is an okay thing...but remember, even your Chevy Suburban looses in an argument with a snow plow.

There is an intersection ahead, a whole bunch of cars waiting to enter the highway in front of you not sure whether its safe to proceed.

And you, unless you are paying attention to the indication sign o­n the right (that is a directional sign for a casino in fact) suddenly come up o­n a hapless individual trying to pull out in front of you

You know you can't see him, he can't see you, so don't get mad, slow down when you see signs like that because intersections are not that far ahead.